X-bit labs

Two Solutions from SilverStone: Tundra TD01 Liquid-Cooling System vs. Nitrogon NT06-Lite CPU Air-Cooler (page 11)

Category: Coolers

by Sergey Lepilov

[ 03/05/2008 | 02:47 PM ]

Conclusion

The results of our today’s test session demonstrated that SilverStone is offering the consumers a very decent Nitrogon NT06-Lite air cooler and a Tundra TD01 liquid-cooling system that can hardly be of interest to overclocking fans and besides kills you with its extremely high price. However, if you have extra $349, do not intend to overclock your processors beyond average levels, live in a pretty cold climate zone and value quiet operation of your computer system, then Tundra TD01 may be a good choice. In order to improve the cooling system efficiency I would recommend the manufacturer to increase the depth of the side panel ribbing (including the internal contour) on the main unit, which will increase the heat dissipating surface size and equip Tundra TD01 with a more powerful water block, because as we have seen from the comparison performed on Zalman water blocks, it does have a serious effect on cooling efficiency improvement.

As for SilverStone Nitrogon NT06-Lite, it is a pretty good cooler, but it didn’t demonstrate anything extraordinary either. In fact, it is pretty hard to expect this solution to impress us after the tests of more technologically advanced Enzotech Ultra-X or Thermalright SI-128, for instance. Yes, the cooler features universal design, but unfortunately, it cannot boast attractive price point or simple installation, because there are a lot of competitors in the $40-price range these days.